Exemplary embodiments of the invention generally relate to temporary housing units and, more particularly, to temporary housing units that can withstand severe weather conditions while also being stackable upon each other when collapsed to provide for ease of transportation.
Currently, when a natural disaster strikes, such as an earthquake, flood, tornado, hurricane, etc., houses and other residential dwelling are usually damaged to a point that they are unlivable for a considerable time. Residents are left to seek temporary housing that may be provided by others, such as usually a governmental entity. For example, after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana, homes and other residential dwellings were so severely damaged that mobile homes were transported in for use. Whereas, in other natural disasters, tents have also been known to be used. Though mobile homes are more comfortable than tents, transporting mobiles homes requires more transports, trucks, rail vehicles, etc., than required for tents to provide housing for an equal number of displaced individuals since tents may be folded into smaller packages. Another drawback that has been realized with mobile homes is that because of the care and upkeep provided by their temporary residents, the interior of the mobile homes are usually ruined to an extent that the complete mobile home is no longer reusable. Additionally, unused mobile homes may deteriorate in the weather and also be unavailable for further relief efforts.
Though other collapsible temporary housing units are known, such housing units are not easily stackable because when stacked too high, they may lean and fall over, or an equally displaced base is not provided to ensure that pushing a higher stacked unit will not cause it to topple over. Therefore, users and owners of temporary housing units would benefit from a collapsible temporary housing unit that is reusable while also being available for mass transport by providing a minimum transportation size that provides for a level, flat surface to place a plurality of other units on top, without the other units falling over due to gravity.